Baku Prepares for Eight Days of Elite Judo in 2026

Baku will welcome the World Judo Championships from 4 to 11 October 2026, bringing eight days of top-level competition to the National Gymnastics Arena. The Azerbaijani capital is set to host individual contests across all weight categories before the event closes with the mixed team competition.

The individual tournament runs from Sunday 4 October through Saturday 10 October. Two weight categories will be decided each day, with preliminaries followed by an evening final block featuring the bronze medal contests and finals.

The opening day includes the women’s -48 kg and men’s -60 kg categories. Women’s -52 kg and men’s -66 kg follow on 5 October, while the women’s -57 kg and men’s -73 kg divisions take the stage on 6 October.

Midweek action continues with women’s -63 kg and men’s -81 kg on 7 October, then women’s -70 kg and men’s -90 kg on 8 October. The women’s -78 kg and men’s -100 kg categories are scheduled for 9 October, before the heavyweight divisions, women’s +78 kg and men’s +100 kg, complete the individual programme on 10 October.

All listed times are local time in Baku, AZT. Most preliminary sessions begin at 10:00 or 10:30, while the first and final individual days begin at 11:30. Every individual final block is scheduled for 18:00.

The opening ceremony is planned for Monday 5 October at 16:30, ahead of that evening’s final block. It will add a major moment to the early stages of a championship week that brings together the sport’s leading international field.

The individual finals are scheduled to begin at 18:00 local time each day.

The final day belongs to the mixed teams. On Sunday 11 October, the preliminary round is scheduled for 09:30, with the final block at 18:00. Teams will compete in six categories: women’s -57 kg, -70 kg and +70 kg, alongside men’s -73 kg, -90 kg and +90 kg.

The EJU preview of 28 September reported 640 athletes from 97 nations for the individual competition and 17 nations for the mixed team event; these figures reflect the entry list at that time. Fans around the world can follow the championships on JudoTV, the IJF streaming platform.

Source: EJU.net

Image source: EJU / European Judo Union